Saturday, July 9, 2011

Decorating the Balcony

Our balcony is tiny. Like, can-barely-fit-the-chairs-out-there tiny. And it’s semi-enclosed. We live on the ground floor, so for security reasons, our balcony is glassed in. That means not much breeze, and the afternoon summer sun heats it up like an oven. Any time I sit on our balcony, I feel like I’m on display. Like I’m in a department store window, or I’m a wild animal exhibit at the zoo.

Perhaps I belong in a zoo?

Anyway, I was never very comfortable. It was too hot, and not private enough for my tastes. After 4 years of living here, I’ve finally done something about it.

“Nice garbage cans in the back, there.”

I bought some matchstick blinds - cheapo’s, from a discount store. I did have to trim them to fit in between the glass wall supports, but they were easy to cut. They don’t block the light entirely, but I wasn’t looking for a total black-out anyways. I can see through them a tiny bit, so that might mean that people outside can see in a little bit too. But it’s better than having nothing there at all.

To dress things up a bit (make it puuurrty), I bought a tropical flower garland at the same discount store, and a bag of seashells.

tropical paradise (?????)

I used the trimmed off part of the blinds to make coasters. How cool is that? What’s even better about those is that it was Ludi’s idea!

You’re shocked, I know.

I was too. He couldn’t at all imagine me hanging these blinds on that glass wall (the logistics of it), but he can come up with making coasters from the trimmed bits? Call me stunned.

If I could find some giant banana leaves, or palm leaves, I’d put those out there too. I’m hesitant to put plants out there too, because it still gets mightily hot on cloudless days and I think anything I put there would shrivel up and die fairly quickly.

Not because I have black thumbs, or forget to water or anything like that... uh uh...

It’s the heat.

Yuh huh.

I think my previously drab balcony is a little more welcoming these days.

About Me

I am an American living in The Netherlands, and thanks for visiting! I would love it if you left a comment so I know you were here (what you liked (or didn't like), or what you would like to read more of here on my little pokey blog). Thanks!!